


Hoppípolla

by aykayem



Series: Fifty-two words [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:17:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aykayem/pseuds/aykayem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they were kids, Draco and Theo had really only gotten along on the odd day, and sometimes it was because there's nothing better than jumping in puddles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hoppípolla

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greatdisorder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatdisorder/gifts).



  
_hoppípolla_  
(phr.) (v.) jumping into puddles

When they were kids, Draco and Theo had really only gotten along on the odd day: once in a blue moon, really. Between Draco believing himself to be perfect and flawless and Theo wanting to disagree just on principle, it was easy to figure out where and why they'd butted heads in the past. But every now and then, they'd had their moments where everything else could be put aside, and they could just enjoy themselves. Sometimes it was because their mothers (back when Theo's was alive) told them to get along, sometimes it was just an incredibly lucky day. Sometimes it was because it was raining and Draco was feeling particularly energetic, and Theo was just too tired of going against the grain to fight back for ten minutes.

Draco had dragged Theo out of doors, out to the gardens to pester the already unhappy peacocks, and Theo had made no word of protest except when he tripped over his own feet and nearly landed in the muck just outside the door. There was nothing really special about that day, nor about the day that fell on everything, leaving them with a warm, wet scent that filled the air. It was one of Draco's favourite smells, right from the get-go - he still loved it, even as an adult, and perhaps because of that very day - and when they stepped outside, he had inhaled loudly and let out a pleased sigh.

"I love rain," he declared, and Theo had just rolled his eyes in retort.

"It's ruining my hair."

"Your hair sticks out at funny angles anyway."

"Excus-"

Draco had just laughed, darting away to race through a series of puddles that were forming in slumped areas of the cobbled pathway leading into the main gardens, leaving Theo in the dust to soak through and grumble. It had only taken a moment or two before he hurried after, shouting for Draco to wait up for him. His protests were met once again with chiming laughter, just slightly mocking as only Draco could be at that age.

They'd spent the afternoon hopping through puddles, their hair and clothes plastered to their bodies, until they wandered back inside and, much to their mothers' mild annoyance, ended up getting a rather nice rug sopping wet. Even then, Draco had been forgiven quickly enough just because it looked like Theo had actually enjoyed himself.

Now that they were adults, it was a little bit harder to get that kind of time to themselves. Mostly because things were all awry, all up in the air, and free time wasn't exactly the sort of thing they got. Draco always managed to make _some_ for himself, but it was never quite enough, not as far as he was concerned. But then, he'd always been one of those who managed to get his homework done in record time at Hogwarts, and then spent the rest of the evening being rowdy and distracting everyone else in the common room.

It was raining again. Another day of English rain, making for a wet summer indeed. The early morning fog creeping around the hedge maze on the far side of the gardens was a sight to behold, and he had made a point of owling Theo the moment he saw it. It was an excuse to do so, after all; it was an excuse to drag him back there and perhaps bring his own memories of Malfoy Manor back to something he liked instead of seeing dead bodies all over the floor when he shut his eyes.

It was a truly horrifying thing to witness, his childhood home being desecrated that way. Draco barely even thought of it as home now; it was just a house, one that held his possessions and bore a striking resemblance to the one he used to know.

Afternoon approached, and Theo made his timely arrival through via Floo, stretching out and grumbling about the various inconveniences of the network. Draco waited for him in the parlour, breaking into something of a nervous smile when his friend wandered in, frowning and eyeing the blond like he'd gone mad.

"All right. I'm here. What's so urgent?" Theo asked, glancing outside briefly.

"It's raining," Draco pointed out, pushing himself up from the overstuffed chair he'd made himself comfortable in.

"Yes. It is. You're not going to wander in it again without an umbrella, are you? I thought I'd killed that habit the last time you caught a chill."

Draco's mouth curved into a pleased smile, and Theo almost took an involuntary step backwards. "I know that face. Don't make that face at me, Malfoy. Every time you do, I find myself roped into another horrid scheme of yours."

"I'm not going wandering in it-"

"Oh, thank Merlin, you've found some common sense."

"-We are going wandering in it."

"Bugger."

And that was how Draco managed to convince Theo (without much effort at all) to join him outside in the rain. Theo would grumble and grouse, and in the end, he'd always sort of known that he was going to end up doing it anyway. After all, it was Draco doing the asking, and there was nothing quite like the way the blond lit up when he finally agreed. It was almost irresistible, and made even the worst of decisions seem all right.

Their hair was plastered to their faces within minutes, and their shirts were close behind, and even so, Draco was bright and cheerful as they walked. Not ran, like they had when they were young, but walked.

"I love rain."

Theo glanced over to him, curious and feeling very much like he was experiencing deja-vu. A pleasant sort of deja-vu, at least; it was definitely the kind of moment he didn't mind reliving quite so much. A smile threatened to curve his mouth up until the moment that Draco glanced over, his cheeks flushing a little.

"What?"

"Nothing," Theo answered, putting on an innocent smile.

Draco just narrowed his eyes a little bit before letting his gaze skim forward again, landing on a puddle. He paused, letting Theo take a few steps ahead of him. It almost seemed born of concern or nervousness, like his shoes would get wet by walking through it. A silly thought, considering they were already soaked to the bone practically. But finally, he moved, answering the unspoken question of exactly what he was doing just staring at the damned thing. Instead of circling around it, though, the blond raced straight at it, giving a pleased whoop before launching himself into it.

Theo hadn't realised the thing was that deep. But it really was. It was very deep, and the tidal wave that hit him straight in the face had been much bigger than anticipated. He sputtered a few times, spitting water back onto the ground and blinking puddle water out of his eyes and off his lashes before looking at Draco incredulously. It was met with a wicked grin, one that deserved to be punished. Really and truly. It did.

"You'd better hope you can still run quickly, Malfoy."

Draco's grin expanded wider, if that was at all possible, and he turned, racing off in the opposite direction with Theo at a close second. And just like that, they wasted an entire afternoon racing through the gardens, laughing and jumping in puddles (and sometimes even shoving each other into them) until they padded back inside, even more sopping wet than they'd been as children, much to Narcissa's dismay.


End file.
